1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display device comprising the same, and, more particularly, to a backlight assembly that generates relatively less noise after power is turned ON or OFF, and a liquid crystal display device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are one of the most popular flat panel displays. An LCD, includes two panels having a plurality of electrodes thereon and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two panels. The LCD controls the transmittance of incident light through the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the electrodes to rearrange liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer.
Liquid crystal displays typically include a backlight assembly for supplying light through the liquid crystal layer. The backlight assembly includes lamps, various types of optical (e.g., light diffusing, light transmitting) sheets, and a housing for receiving the lamps and the optical sheets. In addition, sockets are used to fasten the lamps into the housing. Conventional liquid crystal displays use a plurality of lamps arranged in an ordered fashion, an alignment plate is used for attaching sockets coupled to the lamps to the housing. Thus, after being inserted into holes formed in a housing, the sockets are attached to the housing with an alignment plate.
As described above, when a separate alignment plate is used to attach a socket to a housing, a gap is created between the assembled socked and the alignment plate. After power has been turned ON or OFF, the components warm up to an operating temperature or cool down to room temperature and during that time interval a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the socket and of the alignment plate may cause a slip phenomenon between the socket and the alignment plate, thereby generating noise.
It is desirable to reduce noise generated by a backlight assembly after power is turned ON or OFF.